Thousands party at Thibodeauxville

Flo Dufrene and her family were among thousands of people flocking Saturday to the Thibodeauxville Fall Festival that celebrates Thibodaux’s culture and promotes downtown businesses.

Jacob BatteStaff Writer

Flo Dufrene and her family were among thousands of people flocking Saturday to the Thibodeauxville Fall Festival that celebrates Thibodaux’s culture and promotes downtown businesses. “I love it, I come every year. I’ve been coming ever since it started,” the Thibodaux resident said.The party included hundreds of craft and food vendors. For the kids, there were games, bounce houses, face painting and a petting zoo. Officials estimate more than 15,000 people attended last year’s festival and hoped for 20,000 this year. Named after the city’s original name, the festival began shortly after 7 a.m. with a kids’ fun run, toddler trek and 5K race. Rubber ducks later raced down Bayou Lafourche during the annual duck race, the festival’s most popular activity. For Dufrene, the highlight is seeing kids and families having a good time together. “The kids enjoy it. You get to see arts. You don’t have to park a ways away, and you just have fun. It’s an enjoyment day,” she said. Some festival-goers even chose to dance the day away to the music of The Americanos, Gypsy Soul Dancers, Good Feelin’ Band and Coobie Joe, who played on two main stagesThe 21-year-old festival draws in visitors from down the road and down the bayou. With 200 vendors, 24 food stands and three stages of music, the festival has taken off since it’s inception in 1992. “Back then we had 13 vendors, one stage of music and six food vendors,” said Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce President Kathy Benoit. The festival was originally created to convince businesses to come back to the downtown area. At the time strip malls had become popular, causing some businesses to move out of downtown. “(Downtown) has as sense of culture and history. You can see it in the beautiful buildings. We wanted to bring the people back,” Benoit said.Benoit said the festival has succeeded with its original goal. “We have almost every shop in Third Street and Fourth Street filled. We enjoy a wonderful daytime business, and there’s a great night-time atmosphere as well with our restaurants and lounges. It’s 24 hours now,” she said. Traveling vendors Hilda and Doyle Breland set their tent up at the corner of Fourth and Focus streets, selling handbags and homemade duck calls. Hilda said her 81-year-old husband has been making duck calls since he was 12. “We’re somewhere every weekend at a craft show, but Thibodeauxville is our favorite,” she said. The couple, who travel all around the state, plus Mississippi and Arkansas, said they have a loyal following in the Queen City of Lafourche Parish. “The people, they’re down to earth and they’re so friendly. The people that support us here in Thibodeauxville, they’ve been coming since the first time I ever came here,” she said. Future cowboys could stop by a booth sponsored by the Lafourche Roping Club. Club facilitator Melony Ordoyne said the group uses the festival to appeal to the children in attendance. “We’re just trying to promote our club today by letting kids learn how to rope. We’re just showing them and we’re giving them free prizes,” she said. “We’re trying to let them know what’s going on, to let them know we’re there.” Coming to the festival is a no-brainer, Ordoyne said, because of how popular the party is. “There are so many people that come to this big event. This is the top event every year. People are always looking forward to it,” she said. The Southeast Tourism Society recognized Thibodeauxville 2011 as a “Top 20″ Event.” That made the festival eligible to be nominated for the Shining Example Award, which honors the No. 1 festival in the Southeastern United States, which the event won, according to the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce website.The party kicked off Friday evening with the Big Boy’s Main Street Cook-Off, where more than 30 teams grilled, fried and sauteed for judges and party-goers. “It’s just a fun time,” said Rhonda Dempster, executive director of Thibodaux Main Street. “People can bring their children and have a good time. It’s a family-friendly environment.”When approached by several festival-goers asking about the event, Mayor Tommy Eschete advised them to walk around and take in the atmosphere. “Crafts and buying things are fine. But when you’re walking around and observe the people you’ll see what our culture is about,” he said. The laid-back atmosphere serves as a break from football season and the grind of fall festivals, Eschete said. “A lot of local people come down and have a good time and find friendliness downtown,” he said. The party couldn’t happen without the partnership between the Chamber of Commerce and the community, he said. “It doesn’t hurt to have gorgeous weather like today, either,” Eschete laughed.

Staff Writer Jacob Batte can be reached at 448-7635 or jacob.batte@dailycomet.com. Follow him on Twitter @ja_batte